Fertility issues are rising. Experts point to lifestyle and delayed care?
Fertility experts say rising lifestyle disorders and delayed childbearing are challenging even the most advanced treatments. Doctors stress early awareness and preventive care as key to reversing India's growing infertility trend.
Despite rapid advancements in assisted reproductive technology, fertility specialists across India are witnessing a troubling paradox: infertility cases are rising faster than medical solutions. In an interview with this correspondent, Dr. Tripti Dadhich, Additional Director – Obstetrics & Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, explains how delayed reproductive planning, lifestyle-related disorders, and lack of early awareness are undermining the benefits of modern fertility treatments. She cautions that while technology has transformed what is medically possible, it cannot fully offset the biological and lifestyle factors increasingly affecting both men and women seeking to conceive.
TECHNOLOGY VS BIOLOGY: A GROWING GAP
“Technology has advanced faster than reproductive health awareness, and that gap is becoming increasingly visible in fertility clinics today,” says Dr. Dadhich. According to her, assisted reproductive techniques like IVF and ICSI have seen remarkable success rates, but the number of couples facing infertility continues to rise.
“More couples are struggling to conceive because the root causes of infertility are rising faster than the solutions,” she adds. From a clinical standpoint, this gap is no longer theoretical, it is playing out daily in outpatient departments and fertility centres.
DELAYED CHILDBEARING AND HIDDEN RISKS
One of the most significant contributors, Dr. Dadhich points out, is delayed childbearing. “Many women are choosing to plan pregnancy in their late thirties or forties, often unaware that fertility naturally declines with age, even when cycles appear regular,” she explains.
While career planning and financial stability are valid considerations, ovarian reserve and egg quality decline steadily with age. Fertility technology can assist, but it cannot fully reverse biological timelines, a fact many couples realise only after repeated failed attempts.
LIFESTYLE, STRESS AND HORMONAL DISRUPTION
Beyond age, modern lifestyles are quietly reshaping reproductive health. “Chronic stress, irregular sleep, poor nutrition, and sedentary lifestyles are affecting hormonal balance in both men and women,” Dr. Dadhich notes.
Clinically, this manifests as irregular ovulation, poor endometrial receptivity, and declining sperm parameters. Long work hours, digital overexposure, and lack of physical activity are increasingly recognised as contributors to subfertility.
RISE OF METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE DISORDERS
Dr. Dadhich highlights a sharp rise in metabolic and endocrine disorders among patients seeking fertility care. “Metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance, thyroid problems, and polycystic ovarian syndrome are also becoming more common, directly impacting ovulation, egg quality, and implantation,” she says.
In men, the picture is equally concerning. “Lifestyle-related issues are affecting sperm count and quality, further compounding the challenge,” she adds, stressing that infertility is no longer a predominantly female issue.
PREVENTION AS IMPORTANT AS TREATMENT
Summing up her message, Dr. Dadhich offers a clear caution to couples relying solely on medical intervention. “Advanced technology can support fertility, but it cannot fully compensate for delayed awareness and unhealthy lifestyle choices,” she says.
“Early evaluation, timely planning, and preventive reproductive care are just as important as medical treatment if we want better fertility outcomes.” For doctors on the ground, the solution lies in combining awareness, prevention, and technology, rather than expecting technology alone to do the work.
Despite rapid advancements in assisted reproductive technology, fertility specialists across India are witnessing a troubling paradox: infertility cases are rising faster than medical solutions. In an interview with this correspondent, Dr. Tripti Dadhich, Additional Director – Obstetrics & Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, explains how delayed reproductive planning, lifestyle-related disorders, and lack of early awareness are undermining the benefits of modern fertility treatments. She cautions that while technology has transformed what is medically possible, it cannot fully offset the biological and lifestyle factors increasingly affecting both men and women seeking to conceive.
TECHNOLOGY VS BIOLOGY: A GROWING GAP
“Technology has advanced faster than reproductive health awareness, and that gap is becoming increasingly visible in fertility clinics today,” says Dr. Dadhich. According to her, assisted reproductive techniques like IVF and ICSI have seen remarkable success rates, but the number of couples facing infertility continues to rise.
“More couples are struggling to conceive because the root causes of infertility are rising faster than the solutions,” she adds. From a clinical standpoint, this gap is no longer theoretical, it is playing out daily in outpatient departments and fertility centres.
DELAYED CHILDBEARING AND HIDDEN RISKS
One of the most significant contributors, Dr. Dadhich points out, is delayed childbearing. “Many women are choosing to plan pregnancy in their late thirties or forties, often unaware that fertility naturally declines with age, even when cycles appear regular,” she explains.
While career planning and financial stability are valid considerations, ovarian reserve and egg quality decline steadily with age. Fertility technology can assist, but it cannot fully reverse biological timelines, a fact many couples realise only after repeated failed attempts.
LIFESTYLE, STRESS AND HORMONAL DISRUPTION
Beyond age, modern lifestyles are quietly reshaping reproductive health. “Chronic stress, irregular sleep, poor nutrition, and sedentary lifestyles are affecting hormonal balance in both men and women,” Dr. Dadhich notes.
Clinically, this manifests as irregular ovulation, poor endometrial receptivity, and declining sperm parameters. Long work hours, digital overexposure, and lack of physical activity are increasingly recognised as contributors to subfertility.
RISE OF METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE DISORDERS
Dr. Dadhich highlights a sharp rise in metabolic and endocrine disorders among patients seeking fertility care. “Metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance, thyroid problems, and polycystic ovarian syndrome are also becoming more common, directly impacting ovulation, egg quality, and implantation,” she says.
In men, the picture is equally concerning. “Lifestyle-related issues are affecting sperm count and quality, further compounding the challenge,” she adds, stressing that infertility is no longer a predominantly female issue.
PREVENTION AS IMPORTANT AS TREATMENT
Summing up her message, Dr. Dadhich offers a clear caution to couples relying solely on medical intervention. “Advanced technology can support fertility, but it cannot fully compensate for delayed awareness and unhealthy lifestyle choices,” she says.
“Early evaluation, timely planning, and preventive reproductive care are just as important as medical treatment if we want better fertility outcomes.” For doctors on the ground, the solution lies in combining awareness, prevention, and technology, rather than expecting technology alone to do the work.